1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus which provides shelves or ledges enabling a cat to perch at the side of a wall of a building, for exercise, amusement, and to obtain superior vantage points for viewing. The invention provides a kit or plurality of shelves readily attached to finished walls and partitions of residences and similar buildings, so that a pet cat or other animal inclined to climb can indulge itself in climbing and sitting on the perch afforded by a given shelf. Owners of pets and those desiring to display animals, such as pet store owners, zoo operators, experimenters, and those establishing educational displays can employ the novel kit to build perches usable by cats and other animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cats and other domesticated animals given the run of the residence of their owner frequently enjoy climbing to a vantage point high in the residence or other building where they are kept, for exercise, amusement, and to obtain superior vantage points for viewing. Normally, ordinary furniture, drapes, and other commonplace household objects meet this need. However, such objects are not designed for this type of use, and may become damaged when a pet climbs thereon. Shelves dedicated to pets would answer this need.
Shelves attachable to walls and partitions are known. Shelves adapted for flush mounting on a wall are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,737, issued to Stephen P. Whitehead et al. on Jan. 13, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,343, issued to Louis A. Harvey, Sr., on May 26, 1998. In each case, the subject patent does not suggest providing a kit of a plurality of related although differently configured shelves, and also does not provide shelves configured in the manner of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,610, issued to Harlow Warren on Dec. 18, 1934, shows an object suspended from the underside of a shelf. However, the shelf itself lacks a fastener which would cooperate with a corresponding fastener formed in the suspended object. By contrast with Warren, shelves of the present invention have fastening elements for suspending other objects from their undersides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,370, issued to Jonathan T. Longley on Dec. 31, 1996, shows a shelf designed to fit flush against intersecting walls. Longley's shelf is not configured in the manner of a corner shelf of the present invention, lacking a dependent flange, screw holes, and threaded blind holes for suspending an object from the underside of the shelf.
The prior art fails to show a kit or plurality of similarly configured yet different shelves which would be suitable for forming a succession of shelves attachable to a wall or walls to form a staircase for climbing pets.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.